Window sash and method for reglazing the same

ABSTRACT

A window sash construction and a method for reglazing the same. A plurality of wooden frame members, defining the sash, are constructed so as to provide exterior glass stop portions which are rigidly and unitarily interconnected to the frame members and interior glass stop portions which are flexibly and unitarily interconnected to the frame members only by narrow wood strips. Adhesive is used to rigidly secure the flexible interior stop portions to the sash frame members. A groove is defined between the rigid exterior stop and the adhesively secured interior stop.

United States Patent 1191 Kuyper et a1.

1111 3,803,779 1451 Apr. 16, 1974 WINDOW SASH AND METHOD FOR REGLAZING THE SAME [75] Inventors: Herman SQKuyper, Knoxville;

Forrest L. Dunsmoor, Bettendorf, both of Iowa [73] Assignee: Rolscreen Company, Pella, Iowa [22] Filed: Mar. 1, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 337,100

[52] US. Cl 52/99, 52/476, 52/499, 52/627, 52/738, 52/741 [51] Int. Cl .1. E06b 3/62, E04c 3/36 [58] Fieldof Search 52/98, 99, 499, 476, 627, I 52/628, 738, 741

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 546,221 9 1395 Brown 52/98 207,801 9/1878 Easton... 1,486,167 3 1927 Stefan.. 2,057,823 10/1936 Galey... 2,716,784 9/1955 Kuyper 52/499 9/1966 Moore 52/99 3,360,893 1/1968 Waftelez 52/105 FOREIGN PATENTS 2 OR APPLICATIONS 1,063,884 12/1953 France 52/738 Primary ExaminerAlfred C. Perham Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Molinare, Allegretti, Newitt & Witcoff [5 7] ABSTRACT A window sash construction and a method for reglazing the same. A plurality of wooden frame members, defining the sash, are constructed so as to provide exterior glass stop portions which are rigidly and unitarily interconnected to the frame members and interior glass stop portions which are flexibly and unitarily interconnected to the frame members only by narrow wood strips. Adhesive is used to rigidly secure the flexible interior stop portions to the sash frame members. A groove is defined between the rigid exterior stop and the adhesively secured interior stop.

- 14 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 15 m4 mos; 779 SHEEI 2 0f 2 WINDOW SASI-I AND METHOD FOR REGLAZING THE SAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION and DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART This invention relates to a novel window sash construction and a method for reglazing the same.

A conventional way of constructing window sashes is by installing the window glass in the assembled wood sash and then, from the exterior, securing the glass in place in the window sash by glazing tacks and sealing with a suitable sealing or glazing compound. Such conventional glazing methods have not been entirely satisfactory because glazing compounds do not always maintain the desired water tight seal over extended periods of time.

Because of the shortcomings of conventional glazing methods, it is preferred to provide a window sash wherein the glass is set in a groove or rabbet in the sash frame members and the glass is embedded therein by use of a suitable sealing compound in the rabbet. In such a construction, the glass is set in place in the rabbet of each of the sash frame members and then the frame members are rigidly assembled together around the glass to complete the sash structure. Although such installations are considered to provide a better seal for the glass particularly over long periods of time, one of the disadvantages of such a construction is the problem of glass replacement or reglazing in case of breakage or cracking of the glass window. Although at one time it was necessary to actually disassemble the entire sash to accomplish reglazing, I in Kuyper US. Pat. No. 2,716,784, a window sash and reglazing method are disclosed wherein the exterior is so constructed that the exterior wall, which defines the exterior of the rabbet receiving the window glass, may be readily severed from the main frame body, as by a knife or by chiseling.

The elongated wall or strip is then removed, the glass is replaced, and the separated strip is remounted on the exterior of the sash, as by nailing.

Although the reglazing method and structure disclosed in the said Kuyper patent are considered quite satisfactory, with the advent of metal clad windows, it is no longer feasible to remove the exterior portion of the wood which defines the glass receiving rabbet or groove. In this regard, reference is made to the application of Herman S. Kuyper, filed May 3, 1972 Ser. No. 249,848. In the metal clad window structure, the normally exposed wood portion of the wood window sash is completely covered or protected by a formed metal, as aluminum, panel which substantially permanently protects the exterior or normally exposed surfaces of the wood without the necessity of periodic painting. In such metal clad windows, it simply is not possible to physically separate the exterior portion of the window frame, as done in the Kuyper'patent, which defines the rabbet holding the window glass because the metal panel encloses the same.

Although it is conceivable to use the structure and method of the Kuyper patent for reglazing from the interior of the window sash, the internal appearance of the window sash, following reglazing is unlikely to be fully satisfactory. Therefore, the reglazing of a window sash constructed, as in the Kuyper patent, raises a twofold problem of having a satisfactory reglazing method and structure and of having a reglazed appearance which differs little, if at all from the original internal appearance. Additionally, reglazing from the interior creates far less problems than from the exterior, as where the glass is not accessible from ground level.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide an improved window sash and frame members therefor, and method for the reglazing the same wherein the drawbacks and disadvantages of similar prior art structures are substantially avoided.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a window sash and method for constructing the same wherein the reglazing thereof is particularly adapted for use in connection with windows having exterior metal cladding thereon.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved window sash construction and method for reglazing the same wherein the interior of the frame members defining the sash may be easily and cleanly broken away for removal of old glass and replacement thereof with new glass so that the replaced interior wood stn'p retains an appearance substantially the same as that of the original window sash.

It is also another object of this invention to provide a window sash construction wherein the groove in which the window glass is received is defined on the exterior wall by a rigid wood section and on the interior wall by a wood section which is initially flexibly interconnected to the side or frame member and later adhesively secured thereto.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an improved window sash construction which particularly is adapted to have the glass replaced wherein the interior glass stop is cleanly broken away by forcibly separating the interior glass stop from the window frame, the replacement of the glass stop resulting in an interior appearance substantially the same as the origi nal window.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved window sash construction and method for reglazing the same wherein the window sash and reglazing method are characterized by their simplicity in construction and assembly, ease of replacement and satisfactory appearance following the replacement of the glass in the window sash.

Further purposes and objects of this invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

The foregoing objects are accomplished by our method for reglazing a'window sash wherein the window sash is constructed of a plurality of wooden frame members, an exterior stop portion is rigidly connected to the sash members and an interior stop portion is flex ibly and unitarily interconnected to the sash frame members by a narrow wood strip, the interior stop is adhesively and rigidly secured to the sash frame memher, a groove or rabbet is defined between the rigid exterior stop and the adhesively secured interior stop, an interiorly facing slot is provided between the interior stop and the frame member, translucent window material is inserted into the grooves and a plurality of the sash frame members are assembled together to form a rigid frame containing the window material. When it is necessary to replace the glass material, the interior stops are forcibly separated from each of the frame members along the slot so as to destroy both the adhesive connection and the narrow wood strip connection to thereby completely separate the interior stop from the frame member; thereafter, new glass is inserted into the grooves or rabbets and the interior stops are fixedly replaced into their respective frame members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A particular embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a window sash construction, using our invention, during the assembly of the glass to the sash frame members which hold the glass;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of our novel frame member taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through a sash frame member prior to insertion of glass therein and prior to adhering the interior wood stop to the sash frame member;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the interior stop after adhesive has been applied to hold the interior wood stop securedly to the sash frame member;

FIG. 5 is a partially broken plan view of the embodi ment of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, but showing our improved structure having metal cladding on the exterior of the sash;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, showing the first step in replacing glass in the window;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the interior glass stop removed so that the old glass may be removed;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the new glass being placed into the window sash; and

FIG. 10 shows the final step in reglazing, with the separated interior stop being rigidly replaced by the use of nails, tacks, or the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a top plan, schematic view of a window sash, generally 10, which is comprised of a pair of spaced upright stiles 12 and a pair of spaced top and bottom rails 14. Hereinafter, the stiles 12 and rails 14 will sometimes hereinafter be referred to as sash frame members, for convenience of description.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the sash 10 is shown with the rails 14 receiving the translucent window material 16, which is generally glass, but may be any suitable translucent material. In the assembly of the sash embodiment 10, the ends of the stiles 12 are secured to the ends of the rails 14 with the glass 16 being secured therebetween to provide a fully and rigidly assembled window sash 10.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, a sectional view through frame member 12 or 14 is shown after the wooden frame member 12 or 14 has been first formed to the desired external periphery in a shaper 0r molding machine. The frame member 12 or 14 includes a main body portion 18 having an exterior portion 20 and an interior portion 22. The end portion 24 of the member 12 or 14 shown in FIG. 3, may be of any desired shape, although the embodiment of FIG. 3 shows the shape used as the exterior seal portion of a stile. The particular shape of the portion 24 will vary as between stiles and rails. Furthermore, the exterior shape of the end portion 24 of a rail 14 depends on whether the rail is a top or bottom rail 24, and whether the rail is on a lower or upper sash. For example, the portion 24 of a bottom rail and a top rail is generally flat and does not act as a sealing surface. Thus, for purposes of the invention herein, the particular shape of the sealing portion 24 is not important.

The important structure in our invention is the portion of the frame member 12 or 14 in which the glass plate 16 is received. As seen in FIG. 3, after the sash frame member 12 or 14 has been constructed to define the desired external periphery normally a rectangle, a continuous inner peripheral groove or rabbet 6 is defined and holds the edges of the glass 16 therein. The rabbet 26 is defined on its exterior side, that is, the side normally exposed to the outside, by a glass stop portion or wall 28 which is unitarily and rigidly interconnected to the main body portion 18 of the frame member 12 or 14. The opposite side or inside of the groove or rabbet 26 is defined by an interior glass stop portion or wall 30. The interior glass stop 30 has a particularly unique construction. The stop 30 is unitarily but flexibly, interconnected to the main body portion 18 of the frame member 12 or 14 by means of a narrow elongated wood strip 32 which extends for the entire length of the respective frame member 12 or 14 and is unitary with both the interior glass stop 30 and the main body portion 18. The wood strip 32 is positioned adjacent the rabbet or groove 26. As shown best in FIG. 3, a narrow slot 34 is defined between the interior glass stop 30, the wood strip 32, and the main body portion 18. The wood strip 32 is sufficiently thick to assure a firm interconnection between the main body portion 18 and the glass stop 30 and yet is sufficiently narrow so that there is flexibility therebetween. Referring to FIG. 3, the interior glass stop 30 is shaped along its lower surface to have an upwardly and laterally tapered outer surface 36, the angle of taper of which is important for reasons to be hereinafter described.

After the sash frame member 12 or 14 has been shaped to provide the desired peripheral shape, the frame members are prepared to receive a glass pane 16. Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, a plurality of adhesive or glue spots 38 are spaced along the upper and inner ledge 40 of the main body portion 18 in position below the tapered surface 36 of the initially flexible interior glass stop 30. The glue spots 38 may be spaced apart any desired amount, desireably about three-fourths inch. The glue spots 38 alternate between a hot melt glue and a cold setting glue. The hot melt glue or adhesive acts to rigidly and rapidly secure the interior glass stop 30 to the ledge 40 of the main body portion 18, as best seen in FIG. 4, primarily to assure the securement of the glass stop 30 during the assembly of the sash 10. The cold setting glue, in contrast, does not assure initial securement but does assure securement of the stop 30 to the frame member over extended periods of time, as it is well known that a hot melt glue does not have the permanence ofa cold setting glue. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the tapered surface 36 is flexed downwardly and is pressed against the glue spots 38 and tightly against the ledge 40. The tapered surface 36 is tapered at an angle which assures surface to surface contact with the upper surface of the ledge 40. Upon setting of the hot melt glue, the glass stop is rigidly secured to the frame member. The members of the sash are then ready to have these frame members 12 or 14 and the glass assembled together to form the sash 10.

After the frame member 12 or 14 has reached the stage of construction when the sash is assembled, the frame members 12 and 14 are ready to-receive sealing material 42 and the edges of the glass 16. The sealing material 42 is desirably a butyl rubber which is set in the rabbets 26 of the frame members 12 and 14. As schematically shown in FIG. 1, a pair of spaced frame members, as rails 14, are secured to the glass 16, which is embedded in the sealing material 42. The other pair of frame members, as the stiles 12, are secured to the ends of the rails 14 and the glass edges pass into the grooves or rabbets 26 of the stiles 12 with the glass 16 being embedded in the sealant 42. The assembly operation of the sash is conventionally carried out by suitable assembly equipment.

After the sash has been in use, not uncommonly, it becomes necessary to replace the glass 16 because of breakage, cracking, etc. Referring to FIG. 6, if the sash 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is used with metal cladding 44 thereon, the metal cladding 44 covers the exterior portion of the body portion 18 of the stiles -or rails 12 or 14. The metal cladding 44 completely covers the exposed wood portions of the sash'10, therefore making it impossible to replace the glass 16 from the exterior, without physically removing the cladding 44, as shown in Kuyper US. Pat. No. 2,716,784.

The interior appearance of the sash 10 is important, following glass replacement. Our structure results in a method for reglazing the sash 10 from the interior, wherein the internal appearance of the sash remains relatively uneffected.

The first step in our reglazing method normally is the removal of the old glass 16 from the window. In the illustration of FIG. 7, the broken glass 16 is shown in the window sash 10. The first step,as shown, is to position a sharp edge tool, such as a chisel or a screwdriver, into the narrow interiorly facing location slot 34, defined at the joint or connection point between the interior glass stop 30 and the ledge 40 of the main body portion 18. The slot 34 is non-functional except it provides a convenient visible locator, particularly after painting or the like, for determining where to set the separating tool. The slot 46 has little effect upon the aesthetic appearance of the window, and may even be considered as enhancing the internal appearance.

Referring again to FIG. 7, the chisel C, or other such tool, is placed into the slot 34 at various positions along the length of the frame members 12 and 14, and is driven therein at these positions. This force will gradually break the glue connection as well as the narrow wood strip 32. The breaking of the stops 30 away from the frame members is facilitated because of the uses of spaced spots of glue 38. This prevents the wood from tearing along the grain instead of separating along the glue line. The glass stops 30 are then physically separated from the frame members 12 or 14, as best shown in FIG. 8, The old glass and old sealing material 42 are removed from the sash l0 and new glass 16 and new sealing material are inserted into the groove or rabbet 26 and against the interior face of the then exposed exterior glass stop 28. The separated interior glass stop 30 is then replaced as shown in FIG. 10, and a plurality of fasteners, as nails or tacks are used to resecure the interior glass stop 30.

As seen in FIG. 10, the only change in the internal appearance of the window sash 10 is appearance of nail heads along the surface of the wood stop 30. Removal of the interior glass stop 30, in the manner shown with proper care, causes substantially no splintering or breakage of the stop 30. The glass stop 30 breaks out easily and cleanly so that the window sash l0 retains a desirable internal appearance, even after reglazing. If desired, finishing nails may be used to replace the glass stop 30 rather than nails with heads; wood filler may also be used and then, with a suitable stain or paint, there is substantially no change whatsoever in aesthetic appearance of the sash 10.

It is seen that with the locator slot 34, one will always know where the joint between the glass stop 30 and the main body portion 18 is located. Thus, even after one glass replacement, the glass stop 30 may thereafter be pried open and the nails removed. The structure shown is not only particularly useful for metal clad windows, but it can also be used whether metal cladding is used or not. Finally, by providing a window sash which can be reglazed from the interior, conveniently and without adverse appearance, problems in reglazing fromthe exterior, as with multi-story buildings, is substantially eliminated.

While in the foregoing there has been provided a detailed description of a particular embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood thatall equivalents obvious to those having skill in the art are to be included within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A window sash construction comprising a plurality of non-metallic frame members assembled to define a closed frame, a window opening surrounded by said frame, a substantially continuous groove defined along the inner periphery of said frame for receiving the edges of transluscent material therein, an exterior window stop rigidly unitary with said frame members and defining a rigid exterior wall for said groove, and an interior window stop initially flexibly unitary with said frame members, and adhesive means fixedly securing said interior window stops to said frames for defining a rigid interior wall for said groove.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said frame members are wood and said interior window stops are initially flexibly unitary with said frame member by means of unitary narrow wood strips, and said adhesive means comprises a plurality of spaced spots of adhesive for fixedly securing said interior window stops to said frame.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said adhesive spots include thermosetting glue, for rapid setting, and hot melt glue for setting over an extended period.

4 The article of claim 1 wherein said frame members are covered on their exterior portion by protective metal cladding. I

5. The structure of claim 1 including a slot defined between said interior stops and said frame members, said slot facing interiorly for visibly locating an interconnecting joint between said interior stops and said frame members.

6. A frame member useful for use in constructing a window sash, said frame member comprising a rigid wooden body portion, an exterior stop portion rigidly and unitarily connected to said body portion, an interior wooden stop portion flexibly and unitarily interconnected to said body portion, and a groove defined between said stop portions for receiving the edge of transluscent window material.

7. The article of claim 6 wherein said interior wooden stop is flexibly and unitarily connected to said body portion by a narrow wooden strip unitary with said body portion and with said interior stop portion.

8. The article of claim 6 wherein adhesive means are provided for rigidly interconnecting said interior wooden stop portion to said body frame portion.

9. The article of claim 8 wherein said adhesive means comprises both hot melt glue, for rapid setting, and cold setting glue for setting over extended periods of time.

10. A method for constructing a wooden window sash and for the later reglazing thereof, said method comprising the steps of constructing a plurality of wooden sash frame members, providing an exterior stop portion rigidly and unitarily connected to each of said sash members, providing an interior stop portion flexibly and unitarily interconnected to each of said frame members by a narrow wood strip, adhesively rigidly securing said interior stop portions to said sash members, defining a continuous groove between said exterior stop portions and said interior stop portions, inserting the edges of translucent window material into said continuous groove, assembling a plurality of said frame members together to form a rigid sash containing said window material, and following later removal of said window material from sash, reglazing said sash by the steps of forceably'scparating said interior stops from each of said frame members for destroying both said adhesive connection and said narrow wood strips to t'lereby completely separate said interior stops from said frame members, inserting new translucent window material into said groove, and fixedly replacing said interior stop portions on their respective frame members.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said forceable separating step includes chiseling said interior stop apart from said frame member.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said replacing step includes returning said interior stop portions to the appropriate frame member and nailing said interior stop members to said frame members.

13. The method of claim 10 including the step of defining an interiorly facing location for visibly defining the connection between said interior wood stop and said frame member.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said location is a shallow slot, and said separating step includes inserting a sharp edge tool into said shallow slot. 

1. A window sash construction comprising a plurality of nonmetallic frame members assembled to define a closed fraMe, a window opening surrounded by said frame, a substantially continuous groove defined along the inner periphery of said frame for receiving the edges of transluscent material therein, an exterior window stop rigidly unitary with said frame members and defining a rigid exterior wall for said groove, and an interior window stop initially flexibly unitary with said frame members, and adhesive means fixedly securing said interior window stops to said frames for defining a rigid interior wall for said groove.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said frame members are wood and said interior window stops are initially flexibly unitary with said frame member by means of unitary narrow wood strips, and said adhesive means comprises a plurality of spaced spots of adhesive for fixedly securing said interior window stops to said frame.
 3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said adhesive spots include thermosetting glue, for rapid setting, and hot melt glue for setting over an extended period.
 4. The article of claim 1 wherein said frame members are covered on their exterior portion by protective metal cladding.
 5. The structure of claim 1 including a slot defined between said interior stops and said frame members, said slot facing interiorly for visibly locating an interconnecting joint between said interior stops and said frame members.
 6. A frame member useful for use in constructing a window sash, said frame member comprising a rigid wooden body portion, an exterior stop portion rigidly and unitarily connected to said body portion, an interior wooden stop portion flexibly and unitarily interconnected to said body portion, and a groove defined between said stop portions for receiving the edge of transluscent window material.
 7. The article of claim 6 wherein said interior wooden stop is flexibly and unitarily connected to said body portion by a narrow wooden strip unitary with said body portion and with said interior stop portion.
 8. The article of claim 6 wherein adhesive means are provided for rigidly interconnecting said interior wooden stop portion to said body frame portion.
 9. The article of claim 8 wherein said adhesive means comprises both hot melt glue, for rapid setting, and cold setting glue for setting over extended periods of time.
 10. A method for constructing a wooden window sash and for the later reglazing thereof, said method comprising the steps of constructing a plurality of wooden sash frame members, providing an exterior stop portion rigidly and unitarily connected to each of said sash members, providing an interior stop portion flexibly and unitarily interconnected to each of said frame members by a narrow wood strip, adhesively rigidly securing said interior stop portions to said sash members, defining a continuous groove between said exterior stop portions and said interior stop portions, inserting the edges of translucent window material into said continuous groove, assembling a plurality of said frame members together to form a rigid sash containing said window material, and following later removal of said window material from sash, reglazing said sash by the steps of forceably separating said interior stops from each of said frame members for destroying both said adhesive connection and said narrow wood strips to thereby completely separate said interior stops from said frame members, inserting new translucent window material into said groove, and fixedly replacing said interior stop portions on their respective frame members.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein said forceable separating step includes chiseling said interior stop apart from said frame member.
 12. The method of claim 10 wherein said replacing step includes returning said interior stop portions to the appropriate frame member and nailing said interior stop members to said frame members.
 13. The method of claim 10 including the step of defining an interiorly facing location for visibly defining the connection between said interior wood stop and said frAme member.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein said location is a shallow slot, and said separating step includes inserting a sharp edge tool into said shallow slot. 